Cold Temps Spark Two Local Fires Tuesday
ROBERTSON COUNTY TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – The investigation into two local fires Tuesday is leading officials to believe that the cold temperatures are (at least in part) to blame.
The first fire occurred at a home on Cheatham St in Springfield around 1 pm Tuesday afternoon. MAP According to Springfield Fire Chief Jimmy Hamill, the fire started in the kitchen area of a home and moved into the attic. According to 
Hamill, the resident was trying to heat frozen water pipes and accidentally ignited the home.
Springfield Firefighters moved quickly and kept the fire contained in the kitchen and attic of the home. The rest of the home suffered some smoke and water damage but the home is repairable, Hamill said.
According to Hamill, there were two people in the home at the time the fire started but everyone made it out safely.
Hamill wanted to thank the Robertson County Emergency Management Agency, Robertson County EMS and Springfield Police for their assistance.
The second fire occurred around 6:30 pm Tuesday at a shop building on Bethel Rd in the curve, not far from Highland Rim Speedway. MAP Fire crews from Millersville, Ridgetop and Greenbrier responded to the blaze.
According to Millersville Fire Chief Brandon Head, the building was already fully involved when firefighters arrived. As far as a cause of the fire, investigators are leaning towards a heater as a the trigger.
The cold weather adds to the difficulty in fighting a fire, according to Head. “The cold weather, it wears you out. You can see all the water on the gear. It weighs down protective gear making it harder for firefighters to move. It’s also hard on our trucks,” Chief Head said.
Sumner County Fire Buffs (Rehab 83) was requested to assist with the blaze. Rehab 83 (pictured) is a newly formed organization that provides support, such as heat, drinks, snacks, and shelter from the elements, which was well appreciated this evening.
According to Chief Head, the home owners were alerted to the fire by a smoke detector. “They heard the smoke detector going off, saw the smoke and got out, which stresses the importance of smoke alarms, not only in primary structures but if 
you have a secondary structure, workshop, something like that, it’s a $10-$15 life-saving piece of equipment,” Head said.
Due to limited access to fire hydrants near the home, water was shuttled to the fire, Head added.
Other than the structure, woodworking equipment, vehicles, and mowers were also lost in the fire, according to Head.
No injuries were reported in the fire.
Reports of frozen pipes have been coming in from across the county. The White House Utility District has released a video (BELOW) with some tips to keep the water flowing.
As far as heater safety, due to the large variance in heatng equipment types, contact your local fire station to get information in your specific circumstances.
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